Irritable bowel syndrome, depression and anxiety

Abstract

The relationship between psychiatric disorders and irritable bowel syndrome has been known for a long time. Although Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common functional bowel disease associated with psychiatric disorders, its pathophysiology is not fully elucidated. Brain and bowel set up a bidirectional communication over the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamic - pituitary - adrenal (HPA) axis. In a significant number of patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders meet IBS criteria.